Weekend At Amy's
by scribbling wordsmith
Summary: He had the weekend free and he was going to take advantage of it, starting with flying down to see Amy to try and figure out where to go from here. Continuation of episode 3x10 "My Girlfriend's Back"
1. Chapter 1

Weekend At Amy's

"He walks funny."

Amy scrunched up her nose as she said this with a tilt of her head and Ricky, in response, scoffed, rolling his eyes as he threw her a look. "He _runs_ funny." The two of them laughed together until it slowly died away, leaving them in a comfortable silence. Ricky watched as she dropped her gaze and shifted closer, reaching out a hand to hers.

She didn't pull away from him, just let him take her hand and thread his fingers through hers as she smiled up at him through the veil of her hair. He returned the smile and rubbed his thumb against her own. "So where do we go from here?" His gaze fell on their intertwined hands as Amy examined the expression on his face.

She didn't know how to answer him, wasn't sure of what the next step to take was, but she knew that she couldn't ignore what was happening between them now, in this moment. And he had come all the way to New York after all, just to figure it out.

"I'm not sure," she whispered back. "But I do know, that I don't want you to leave."

His smile grew wider and she could have sworn she saw him blush, though, it faded quickly as he returned her gaze. "But it's late, Ames." He whispered, bringing her hand towards his chest and leaning closer. "And I promised your parents-"

Amy silenced him with a hand reaching up to graze his cheek, her own gaze falling to his lips. "Just stay the night. Please? I—" Her voice dropped out as she dropped her gaze entirely, squeezing his hand back. "I've really missed you."

He leaned into her palm and shut his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her skin against his and pulled the hand that he still had to his heart. "I've missed you too."

He opened his eyes to see her smiling at him and couldn't help but bring her hand to his lips. He kissed it softly and smirked as she sighed at his touch. He hated to break the moment with words, but he could feel his heart beating faster and feared what that could mean for them. "But Amy," he said, reaching up to take the hand on his cheek. "I don't know if that's a good idea, to stay here around you. Any more time here and I might not be able to keep my promise."

Amy laughed and squeezed his hand tight. "I believe you can," she scooted her body closer to his until she sat beside him and he adjusted accordingly, unable to keep his eyes or his body from following her cues. She tucked herself in to his side and nuzzled his neck. "I believe you can do anything you decide you want to do and if you want to keep your promise to my parents and even keep your promise to me about trying to change. Then I believe you can do it, without a doubt."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, her words drowning him in a feeling he had never felt before. Her faith in him staggered him and it felt scary and exhilarating at the same time, like free falling or skydiving. He buried his face into her hair and let the smell of vanilla beans and lilies fill him up as he closed his eyes. Amy trusted him. She knew he could change, but wasn't forcing him to. And that thought alone made him believe in he could do it too.

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><p>The next morning Ricky found himself laid out on the couch, he and Amy having stretched out some time during the evening so that they were lying together, her back against his chest. A feeling of déjà vu washed over him as the familiar memory of he and Amy at band camp flashed through his mind. He couldn't ignore the familiarity of it all, Amy, lying beside him, sleeping soundly with the barrier between them broken. This time, of course, it seemed that they had rid themselves of their emotional barriers rather than the physical ones, but he relished in how good it felt.<p>

Granted, they were far from having solved everything, but as long as they were in New York it felt like a fresh start, a clean slate. "The start to something big," he whispered. He brushed her hair from her face and kissed her forehead before he had time to over-analyze anything. She didn't stir, so he allowed himself to watch her for a beat longer before slowly pulling himself away, standing up to stretch. He walked over to her bed in the corner of the room and pulled the top blanket off moving to place it on her as she readjusted her position while sleeping. He smiled as she curled into herself even more.

Amy was never much of a mover when she slept and he used to marvel at her during those late nights when he would stay over to watch John. She would fall asleep and never move from her place, just simply curl up into a ball and knock out for hours. He himself tossed and turned a lot at night, which made him surprised that he hadn't pushed Amy off the couch at some point the night before, but then again, he had never actually cuddled with a girl at night. Usually he was leaving or making her leave and with Amy he didn't think that would ever be the case.

He watched her for a moment longer before turning toward her little kitchenette and stepping to the fridge. Amy had the essentials: milk, eggs, and bread, some deli meat and bacon, even some butter and jam, but there were more leftovers in the fridge than actual groceries and he shook his head, making a mental note to buy her some food and teach her how to cook some decent meals. _'Let's hope I have time,'_ He thought remembering that his flight was leaving Sunday afternoon. But he shoo the thought away and grabbed the eggs, milk and bacon, then proceeded to seek out a skillet.

After a good twenty minutes he was placing plates of eggs and bacon on the table while waiting for the bread to toast when a knock came at the door. He glanced over at Amy who was still sound asleep and smiled, heading toward the door. Another knock came and a outcry of, "Come on Amy! I'm starving! Let's go get some breakfast!" Again he glanced at Amy and saw her stir before he opened the door.

On the other side of the door stood two girls, both with dark hair and pretty, and from their features he could vaguely remember the names Amy had given him for her friends in the program. Meena and Megan. "Uh," he started, "hi," offering a small wave and polite nod. The two girls looked at each other, then at him, smiles creeping up their faces as they sized him up.

"Hi," the taller one said, stepping forward to glance around the door at Amy who was still on the couch, though she seemed to be waking up. "Ricky? Right?" He nodded and grinned, glancing over at Amy for himself before turning back toward the girls. "Yeah, Ricky, and you're Amy's friends?" The taller girl nodded and held out her hand.

"I'm Meena, that's Megan." Megan also offered her hand and he took it, nodding at both as he heard Amy sit up and get up off the couch. Meena looked around the door and waved over at Amy. "Good morning Sunshine." Amy came up behind him and he could feel her hand come to rest on his lower back as she ran a hand through her hair.

"Good morning," she yawned, smiling at her friends while one side of Ricky's mouth curled up in a smirk.

"Well," Megan giggled, she and Meena sharing a look as they watched Ricky and Amy interact. "You didn't tell us Ricky would be here."

"It was kind of an impromptu trip to visit Amy," Ricky explained, leaning against the doorframe as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "It wasn't really planned." Amy nodded.

"Yeah, he had the weekend free and we just thought this would be a good opportunity for us to—"

"Spend some time together?"

"Talk." Amy reinforced, throwing an uncertain look in Ricky's direction. He made no move to agree with her or with Megan, though he did seem amused at her response. "We had or…have a lot to talk about."

Meena and Megan both smiled, causing Amy and Ricky to blush and avoid eye contact with each other until Meena broke the silence. "Anyway, we were coming here to pick you up for breakfast, but…it looks like Ricky's got you covered."

At this Amy turned toward where Meena was motioning and took in the sight of the kitchen table, a smile finding its way across her face as she looked at Ricky surprised. "Aw," she cooed, "You didn't have to do that."

Ricky shook his head and looked at her pointedly. "I had to do that. Have you seen your fridge lately? It's so full of fast-food leftovers that it's actually a little sad. You need some actual food in you or else you're going to get too used to this stuff." Amy rolled her eyes at him, but patted his back in thanks before turning to her friends.

"So, I guess I'm eating here." Amy said, ignoring the poignant looks they were shooting her, she brushed her back once more as they nodded.

"You girls could stay, I could cook some more if you girls want." Ricky was trying to be polite, feeling a little guilty for breaking their routine, but Megan shook her head waving him off.

"Nonsense. You two talk. If you're only here for the weekend, then you need all the time you can get. We'll catch up with you later, before the festival tonight?"

Amy nodded as she crossed her arms, "Yeah," she turned to Ricky and explained, "We're playing again in the park tonight." Ricky nodded as Megan turned toward him.

"I trust you'll be there to see Amy play?"

Amy tossed Megan a look and shook her head, opening her mouth to tell Ricky that he didn't have to, but he pushed himself up off the doorway and reached out to lightly take hold of her elbow. "Are you kidding?" he laughed. "When have I ever missed an opportunity to watch you play?"

Again Amy blushed, running a hand through her hair once more, but smiled none-the-less as she realized he hadn't ever missed her play, mostly because he was usually playing with her and, if she was honest, he had always been there at her concerts at Best of the Best. She could almost feel Meena and Megan's giggles on her face.

Ricky knew he had embarrassed Amy to some extent, but he couldn't deny how adorable she looked as she blushed from his sentiments. He also knew that her girlfriends were dying to poke fun at her and wanted to give them a chance to talk. They seemed to like him, maybe they would be able to talk him up to Amy, so he provided the opportunity.

"Well," he coughed, "I'm gonna clean up a little bit." He turned towards the girls in the hall and nodded his head. "It was nice meeting you both."

They waved back, returning the sentiments while he made his way to the bathroom, the last thing he heard was Megan saying clearly to Amy, "Damn girl. No wonder your John is so cute."

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you enjoyed! This will be a three chapter piece, but can I just say. RAMY NOW AND FOREVER! Love it. Read it. Review it. Thanks!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you to all the reviews. And thank you to all the people who have been linking this thing to tumblr. I am seriously flattered. =P Anyway, the way this thing is shaping up to be it probably won't be _just_ three chapters. Perhaps five all together, but. eh. We'll see. Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Ricky stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and changed to find Amy sitting at the breakfast table, spreading butter and jam on a piece of toast. He smiled as he sat beside her and loaded a plate with eggs and bacon, placing it in front of her as she offered him the toast. "Thanks," he chuckled taking the bread from her before loading up his own plate.<p>

Amy smiled back at him and shook her head. "No. Thank _you_," she sighed, "for doing all of this."

Ricky returned her smile with one of his own, feeling it grow from the warmth of her gratitude. "You don't have to thank me Ames, it was my pleasure." But he held her gaze a moment longer, seeing in her eyes all that she was really thanking him for. It wasn't just for the breakfast or even for the weekend, but for effort and the willingness to change things between them. He didn't say it out loud, but he hoped that she could see that he was thanking her too, for giving him the opportunity to try.

She was the first to break eye contact, the familiar blush rising in her cheeks as Ricky watched her before turning to his own breakfast. They sat in a comfortable lazy silence, the day young and full of possibilities with both Ricky and Amy musing over what this could be the beginning of. He took a bite of his toast and then leaned back into his seat. "So those were the girls you've been telling me about?"

Amy nodded as she crossed her legs, taking a sip of orange juice. "Yeah, I met them in group on the first day and we all just kind of clicked."

"They seem really nice," Ricky admitted. "And somehow, less annoying than Lauren and Madison. No offense…"

Amy laughed and shook her head. "None taken. Actually…" she trailed off, "I've thought that from time to time." Again the two laughed as Amy pushed her side swept hair out of her face. "I think though it's just refreshing to be around people who have an outside perspective you know? I mean, they both know all the things we've been going through the past year, but they also weren't there for it all so they can keep an open mind. You know, look at things objectively?"

Ricky nodded, "Yeah." His mind zeroed in on how she had used "we" instead of just "I" and felt a pull in his stomach from her acknowledging their togetherness. He shook the thought away, fearful of the kind of spiral it could take him down, and looked up to see her watching him. He cocked his head toward her. "Ever feel like everyone back home is looking at us thinking on how they could do what we do better?"

Amy let her head fall back to stare up at the ceiling and nodded with a sigh. "Yes. And I hate it. I mean, I know everyone is trying to help, but…"

"It's our life and they don't understand how they can't live it for us."

"Exactly!" She cried out, looking back at him with wide eyes as he nodded back at her. She sighed and crossed her arms. "It's part of the reason why I used to get so angry at everyone. Every time something would happen everyone would just brush it off like it was just _so_ easy, that if they were in the situation "this is what to do" or "that is what to do" but…" She trailed off and shook her head once more.

"It's always so much more complicated than that." Ricky finished for her, his words drawing her gaze to his. With a nod she brushed back her hair once more.

"But," she sighed, rolling her eyes at herself, "I will admit that I let my emotions get the best of me more than I should have. And I didn't give them the benefit of the doubt considering that no one else really knows what I'm going through."

Ricky held back a chuckle and nodded, leaning forward onto the table as he polished off the last of the bacon and washed it down with the rest of his milk. "Well, that's very mature of you," he teased, earning a pointed look from Amy. "Is that what they told you to say in group?"

Amy laughed and rolled her eyes, "Not so much told me to say, but taught me to realize. Hey, it's a good thing. I'm making progress, right? I'm happier and more secure with myself than I was when I left."

Ricky's eyes softened and he reached out for her hand. "Yeah," he sighed, "You are. Remember when I said you're moving in the right direction? You still are. I just hope that being here doesn't make home seem less exciting."

Amy squeezed his hand back and laughed, dropping her gaze bashfully as she looked at their hands. "No, I don't think that could ever happen. Being here has made me realize, how many things there are to be thankful for back home. How different things will be now, once I go back. Hopefully…"

There was a heaviness that came with her words as they fell upon the conversation. The weight of their implication bringing to light exactly what was at stake. Ricky's mind hovered over the reality that Amy could very well revert to her old ways, especially if he was unable to commit himself to her the way he knew she deserved to be committed to. If he failed, she could start to believe that her happiness and her growth came from leaving home and getting away from all the people who were to quick to judge the both of them, and then she would long for New York once more. Maybe even move there and bring John with her.

Amy in turn was thinking of when Ricky returned and if the pressure of what she wanted from him would push him away once he returned to their life. She could see it in his expression, the dark cloud of reality lingering in his eyes. He could run and most likely would run if he saw the chance. But she had to be strong. He needed her faith and trust in him, just as much as she needed to have faith and trust in him. He would never change without it and that's what she had realized about Ricky Underwood. As damaged and abused as he was growing up, he had the capacity to change if only he believed he could. In looking back over their lives together, since that first day at camp and even more so on the times when they did have in depth and intimately honest conversations, she knew that he was the one who had to decide where they were going to go from here. He had decided for John to be a better father than his own was and so he had to decide for them to be a better man than he was.

Squeezing his hand once more she pulled away, his gaze following her as she did so. The loss of contact with Amy left him almost grasping for her as if she was already leaving him, but she smiled encouragingly and stood. "I'm gonna shower and change," she said, not breaking eye contact with him and trying to reassure him as best she could. "Then, we can go see the city. I'll show you around. Okay?"

He didn't respond right away, watching her intently as if he was waiting for her to disappear, but after a beat he dropped his gaze and nodded. "Uh, yeah, sure. I'll uh…clean up."

He stood, but Amy was quick to approach him and shake her head. "Oh, no I can clean up. You cooked, let me—"

Ricky stepped to Amy and touched her elbow, his smile easing itself onto his face as he silenced her with his presence. "Amy, come on. Go change, it's fine really." They were so close together, inches apart with the atmosphere around them changing fast.

"Okay," she whispered, her hands reaching up to brush the front of his shirt as her eyes flitted up to his, "if you say so." She moved to pull away from him when he gripped her elbow just a little stronger.

"Wait. There is something you could do before you go."

She turned back, seeing for only a second familiar look in his eyes until he captured her gasp with his lips, his hands slipping around her waist. He kissed her slow and steady, smiling as her fingers scratched at his scalp and then pulled away, leaving her breathless and with closed eyes.

This time he smirked as he watched the expression on her face and then kissed her once more. "Alright. Thank you." And then he pulled away leaving Amy dazed but with her own smirk as she turned on her heel. "My pleasure," she called back, walking slow as she approached the bathroom. Her whole body tingled knowing that he was watching her go.

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><p><strong>AN: RAMY FLUFF! in honor of tomorrow night's episode which I AM ON PINS AND NEEDLES FOR! Why can't it just be monday?<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Whew. Let me say that I was a little disappointed by the lack of RAMY fluff in tonight's episode, BUT good thing for you guys, I was extremely inspired to write a new chapter. =] Hope you enjoy. Read it. Love it. Review PLEASE!**

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><p>Ricky let his eyes roam over Amy's body as she locked the door behind them. She had showered and changed into a short patterned dress with a "v" of black lace reaching all the way to the middle of her front with a similar pattern on her back as well. He couldn't take his eyes of either side, the fact that he could practically see through it, yet not see through it was distracting him. The dress also made her legs look long and almost screaming to be touched, but he kept his hands to himself, taking steady breaths and smiling to cover up his thoughts.<p>

"Alright," she said, turning toward him then motioning down the hall, "Ready?"

He nodded, "Lead the way."

They made their way down the stairs and laughed as they went, joking with each other over the plans for the day. Ricky found every opportunity to place a hand up against the small of Amy's back, relishing in the feel of her skin through the black lace, while Amy pretended not to notice. As they reached the bottom floor and outside the building he slipped his hand into hers easily, pulling her close to his side as they walked away from the building. Again, Amy said nothing, just laced her fingers through his.

"So," Ricky said, as they made their way through down the street, "you gonna show me around your school?"

Amy nodded excitedly and turned around, walking backwards as she looked at him. "You're gonna love it. There's music everywhere and loads of practice rooms. It's really something."

Ricky laughed at her enthusiasm and reached for her waist, maneuvering her back to his side and leaving his arm around her. "So then if it's so great why don't you want to come here when you graduate? Or even Juliard?"

Amy leaned her head against his shoulder and slipped her own arm around his waist. "Well, because as much as I love it here, I don't love it enough to want to come back after this. I mean, it's been a good experience for me and it's one I'll probably cherish for the rest of my life, but I just don't want it to _be_ my life."

The two turned the corner and she pulled away, her hand finding his again as she pointed forward. "There it is!" she cried out, pulling him along. "Come on." Ricky let her pull him along as he smiled at her, taking in the tall, impressive stone building with tinted windows and music pouring out of it. He whistled; it was something.

He followed Amy through the front entrance of the school, taking in the old columns and the students milling about with an array of instruments in hand. She had slowed her gait once they reached the courtyard and he was able to fully absorb everything around him. There was music everywhere and students sitting around, singing or playing together on the grass. Amy still seemed to be leading him to somewhere specific, but, as she did so, he couldn't help but look at her and their intertwined hands and picture them, in another universe, here as students together.

In a perfect world they would have met at band camp and fell in love the way he knew Amy had wanted them to. They would have gone to Grant together and Amy would have changed him there the way she was changing him now, make him better than before. Maybe they're shared love of music would have grown together and would have brought them here, to this school or even to Juliard and they would have made music. He and Amy together in New York, away from the complicated life they had left, and happy, carefree the way they were now. Granted, he would never wish for a life without John, but the vision was an intensely beautiful one.

Finally Amy had pulled him into a building, swiping a key card in front of a door sensor and hearing it clink before entering. The hallways echoing with the dulcet sounds of woodwinds, guitars strumming, and chatter, though few people were milling about the actual hall. She led him down a long corridor with lots of closed doors and he looked around taking in the different posters and inspirational words decorating the walls. She finally pulled him to a door and knocked on it. "What are you doing?" He asked, but she shushed him and pressed her ear to the door as she placed a hand on the doorknob. She cast a glance over in his direction and smirked mischievously, earning a curious look from him, which she did not respond to. Opening the door she pulled him in behind her and shut the it quickly, letting Ricky look about the room.

It was a practice room with a piano in one corner and a series of guitars up on the walls. He seemed distracted by the sight, taking it all in, completely awestruck, when he heard Amy clear her throat behind him. He turned and his eyes grew wide. In the other corner of the room stood a well-kept drum set, shiny with a black body coat and he felt his hands itching for some sticks. Amy laughed at his expression and stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder and pushing him toward the set. "Go on," she said with a laugh, "go on and try it out. There are sticks back there."

Immediately Ricky shook his head, "No, Amy, I couldn't—" but she silenced him with chaste kiss on the lips and laughed.

"Go on, I promise it's okay, I come in here all the time."

He hesitated for a moment, but as she pushed him again he laughed and stepped forward, cautiously approaching the beautiful set as she watched him. He circled it and came to sit behind the set, finding the drumsticks in a bag beside the seat and picking up a pair. He started by testing out the bass pedal and letting the sticks fall into an easy rhythm on a snare drum.

Amy watched him with a smile on her face as he tested out the different drums. She could feel the beat of the bass reverberating against her body and stood transfixed, as he got lost in the music, playing the internal rhythm of his heart. He bopped his head along with the pulse of the drums and she watched as his cadences became more elaborate, obviously getting more into it. She laughed as he did a particularly complicated rhythm and winked at her, showing off now that he was so into the groove.

He seemed so happy, so carefree, and Amy knew that he got the same release from music that she did. But there was something more to the way he played, a freedom in his eyes and in his body language that she never had, but could understand. Music was probably even more important to him than it was to her, being one of the only things he could use as an escape from a broken past. It spoke volumes to her as a musician and as the mother of his son and in that moment she wished more than she had ever wished before that it would all work between them.

He ended his session with a hit of the two top symbols and chuckled, sitting for a moment to just look over the drum set and sigh. "Wow," he said, shaking his head, "that was great." He eyed her curiously as he put both sticks into one hand, "Are you sure you don't want to come to school here someday?"

Amy laughed and stepped toward him, taking a swipe at one of the symbols with a shake of her head. "Yeah," she sighed, "but no one ever said you couldn't come to this school or a school like this."

At that Ricky shook his head and stood, "Nah, you know I wasn't thinking about college Amy."

She nodded and shrugged as he approached her, sliding the sticks back into their bag and then his hands into his pockets. "I know, but…you could change your mind. I would be okay with that."

Ricky shook his head and sighed, "Yeah well, let's not talk about it now. The future can wait until Monday yeah?"

Amy knew what he really meant by that. He didn't want to think passed this moment, think passed the weekend really, because it all might come rushing at them too fast and scare one or both of them off. So she agreed and simply hooked her arm into his. "Alright," she nodded, pulling him along. "Well are you hungry? We never did make it to that restaurant yesterday."

Ricky laughed and nodded, finding her hand again and taking it in his. "I could eat, let's go do it." And for the second time in their time together the two shared a knowing smile before exiting the practice room.

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><p>The restaurant wasn't very busy when they got there; they had missed the lunch rush and were left to a rather quiet mealtime atmosphere. The busty hostess, named Whitney, showed them to their table and winked at Ricky before she left, even bending a little further down to show the valley of her breasts. He didn't respond. He actually seemed uncomfortable with the whole display and his eyes shifted to Amy nervously through the whole ordeal, but she didn't seem bothered. She actually giggled once Whitney left.<p>

"Well, she seemed a little obvious."

Right away Ricky leaned forward, "She's not my type. Trust me." But Amy furrowed her brow and laughed at him.

"What? Your type isn't "hot"?"

He looked at her, confused, unsure of whether or not he should find it extremely hot that she had checked out the hostess as well or be cautious of her trapping him. But Amy, in looking at his expression, laughed once more and squeezed his hand.

"Ricky, you don't have to defend yourself to me. I know girls find you attractive and I know that you find girls attractive. It's natural and you and I are not in an exclusive relationship."

"I know, but—"

She put a hand to his cheek and shook her head, "Don't stress about it okay? I know you're trying and I really appreciate it. But I also know that it's going to take some time and until then, you don't have to be afraid of me freaking out on you."

Ricky didn't know what to say. He felt like he should thank her, but, at the same time, was almost offended by her nonchalance to the situation. She wasn't jealous? At all? It all seemed crazy to him, but before he could bring it up again the waiter came by.

"Good afternoon," the guy said, smiling down at Ricky then turning to Amy. His eyes lit up as he saw her, "Well, if it isn't one of the little mothers. How are you doing Amy? We missed you this morning."

Amy chuckled and nodded back in greeting, "Hey Daryl, Yeah, I had breakfast in this morning, but I'm doing good."

Daryl smirked at her and shifted his weight, "Couldn't stay away from me though right? I told you, the guys and I go clubbing most nights and you are more than welcome to come with us."

Immediately Ricky tensed and furrowed his brow, looking back and forth between Daryl and Amy. He was flirting. The waiter was flirting with Amy. "She's underage buddy." He said, pulling the waiter's attention back to him as he cocked his head in his direction.

Amy rolled her eyes and reached over to take Ricky's hand again, feeling him squeeze her hand in return, but not take his eyes off the waiter.

"Daryl this is Ricky, I've told you about Ricky right?"

It took a while for him to register, but once Ricky saw the light go on he nodded, his expression a mocking one.

"Ah," Daryl sighed, "The baby daddy."

"Yeah." Ricky nodded, slipping his fingers into hers. "So you gonna take our order or you just gonna sit there and flirt with the mother of someone else's son?"

Daryl held up his hands in defense, "Yeah sure, what can I get for you guys?"

After he took their order and left Ricky shook the tension from his shoulders watching him disappear. But, with a sigh he looked up to find Amy watching him and got tense again.

He dropped his gaze, embarrassed, "I'm sorry…that was me freaking out on you wasn't it?"

Amy laughed and tossed her head in the direction that the waiter had went. "Actually, I think that was you freaking out on Daryl, but…it was cute." Ricky smirked, until Amy dropped her smile and pulled her hand away, "Just, don't do it again."

Ricky opened his mouth to protest but Amy crossed her arms. "Ricky, again, we're not in an exclusive relationship, so as cute as you freaking out is, it's unnecessary. Now, I'm not saying that I am interested in Daryl or anyone else, but even if I was, you can't act like a protective boyfriend when that's not what you are."

He sat back in his chair and crossed his own arms, looking at her from across the table, not amused. "So, what? You saying the yesterday, today, didn't mean anything? That you've just been letting all of our talking and kissing not establish anything between us?"

"It hasn't established anything. We haven't established anything other than we need to establish our relationship. But we can't do that until—"

"I stop sleeping around." Ricky sighed, shaking his leather jacket off and leaned forward onto the table, his body still tense. Amy sighed and took his hand in hers once more.

"It's more than that Ricky. You and I need to build our relationship more before we can be exclusive. It's not just about you stopping your nightly activities or us saying we're going to make a commitment. It's about us making commitments to each other, starting with you not sleeping around and me being patient enough to wait for you."

She slipped her fingers through his and then brought her other hand to rest on top of their hands. Amy hoped that he would understand, that he would be able to see her reasoning and not feel like it was some sort of challenge or a distrust of him. But he still seemed unconvinced.

"So…" he sighed, his eyes flitting up to hers, "then after this weekend it'll all just go back to being the same? Like it never happened?"

Amy shook her head and squeezed his hand, dropping her gaze to the table. "It'll only go back to how it was if you want it to. But I don't want us to treat this weekend like it never happened. I would rather…" she sighed, rubbing his hand between hers. "I would rather us see it as a glimpse into the future." She looked up to see him watching her intently.

"A glimpse of what could be."

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><p><strong>AN: I say it again. PLEASE REVIEW! now and forever baby. now and forever.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Here it is! Sorry it took so long, my family took an impromtu trip to Vegas and the Luxor lacks open wifi. But that's beside the point. Anyway, READ AND ENJOY! (btw if you are waiting on my Geek in the Pink story, I promise I have a chapter. It's just that my flash drive has been stuck at my Aunt's house and the new chapter is stuck on it. so...yeah. I'll be getting it this week, so bear with me.)**

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><p>Amy pressed her lips to the mouthpiece of her French horn as one hand muffled the bell end. Her fingers pressed lightly on each of the valve levers as different toned buzzes came from the instrument. Her eyes scanned the grass for Ricky, but didn't see him around, wondering what could be taking him. He had dropped her off at the park for her concert, but had wanted to run back to the apartment for a few things. He didn't say what for, which made her a little curious, if not suspicious, in light of their lunch conversation. But she had shaken off any qualms. She had just told him that he wasn't allowed to question her actions she had to do the same for him. Ricky seemed to sense her reluctance and kissed her lightly, promising to be back in time to see her play and then went off, disappearing out of the park.<p>

There had been a small amount of tension between then, mostly from the deep thought that Ricky seemed to sink into as the lunch progressed, but they seemed to come to an understanding. He hadn't pulled away from her at all, in fact, he had almost seemed to pull her closer as the day progressed, which is why Amy found it easy to dismiss her suspicions. If he was going to pull away he would have done it by now and since he hadn't she was just going to enjoy him. If this was going to be their last weekend together, if Ricky decided he wanted things to go back to the way they were once he left, then she wanted to relish in this moment. She wanted to make the weekend count since it might very well be their last.

Pulling her gaze from the crowed, she turned to see Meena watching her, flute in hand, and Megan fast approaching, her clarinet at her side. "So," Meena started, gripping her flute in both hands, "how's the visit going?" Megan reached the two of them and sat beside them, off to the side of the gazebo, her face lighting up at the mention of Ricky.

"Ooh! Yeah, how's it going?"

Amy smiled and shrugged, "Good. It's been going good." She glanced at him once more, finding his eyes at her and waved before turning back to her friends. "I took him to one of the practice rooms at school, where we were just playing around with some of the instruments in there, and then lunch at Cleo's. Overall, a good day."

"Did Ricky meet Daryl?"

Amy eyed Megan warily, but ignored the look of piqued interest with a shrug. "Yeah, but it wasn't anything special. He did get a little protective, but we talked it through and I told him, he really has no right to be that way."

Megan's eyes grew wide, "You told him that?"

Amy nodded as Meena smiled back at her, "Well good for you."

Megan whipped her head in Meena's direction and then proceeded to look between her two friends in confusion. "What? How can you say that? Of course he has a right to be protective."

Meena furrowed her brow and set her flute down in her lap. "They aren't dating. They aren't even together Megan, so Ricky has no right to be jealous of any other guy. Amy can see whoever she wants."

"But he's the father of her baby."

"So?"

Megan rolled her eyes and then turned to Amy. "I thought you wanted to be with him?"

Amy sighed and glanced at him once more before turning back to Megan and Meena. "I'm not sure what I want to happen between us."

Again, Megan looked at her warily and reached out a hand to rest on Amy's knee. "Are you "not sure" or you just don't want to make a decision about it?"

She shifted uncomfortably under Megan's gaze, but sighed and shook her head, dropping her gaze to the gleam of her horn. "I mean, the weekend has been great, and he seems to be very determined to make something of our relationship…"

"But that's here, in New York where you're not surrounded by all your problems from back home," Meena interjected. "Who's to say he won't run once the two of you are home and it becomes harder?"

Megan glared at Meena, "Who's to say he will?"

Amy sighed and set her French horn down, holding her hands up to both of her friends and shaking her head. "Look I don't know what's going to happen okay? He could run, I could run, or it could work out. But, as it stands, we're just trying to figure it out. We've talked a lot about our relationship so, trust me when I say we'll figure it out."

Both Megan and Meena looked at each other, Megan throwing a pointed look at Meena then at Amy. Meena sighed, "Alright," she started. "Look Amy, I know you're scared, but Ricky isn't the only one that has to make a decision here. If you want to be with him, if you want this to work out between the two of you, then you have to tell him that. I mean, that's what we're learning in Group, right? To be honest about what we want and not treat ourselves like we deserve everything less because we made mistakes in the past? If you want to be with Ricky, tell him that. Tell him what you're thinking."

Amy sighed and mindlessly fingered the valve levers of her instrument. "I know but, if I say that to him, he might run away for sure. He'll see it as too much pressure. I don't know if I could handle—"

"There is no pressure in it Amy. You want to see if the two of you could have a future together and there's nothing wrong with that. It's what we all question when we fall into a situation like this. But you know the risks and so, as long as your honest with yourself about them and honest with him, then you have nothing to worry about."

"But—"

Megan shook her head and held up a hand, "No buts Amy. You've got to stop over-thinking all of this. You want to see if there's any possibility the two of you could be in a relationship? Great. Then tell him that's what you want. Decide together that you're going to see if there is. But that doesn't mean you have to immediately _**be**_ in a serious relationship, most people usually don't jump into one."

At this Amy looked up confused and Megan smiled encouragingly, "There's nothing wrong with just dating, Amy. Seeing each other non-exclusively in order to decide if you want to be exclusive. The fact that you both have son shouldn't disrupt you from having a normal dating experience."

Meena nodded in Megan's direction and then turned to Amy with pursed lips. "She's right you know. And, it is kinda what you're doing already, so what's the harm?"

Amy let their words sink in and settle in her mind, the idea of "dating" leaving her dazed, but slowly warming to the thought. It was true, her conditions to being with Ricky had been that they were to be exclusive to each other, but that was factoring in sex and marriage in the distant future. Taking both of those options out, if they were just talking about getting to know each other and seeing if they could fall in love with each other, then they didn't have to be exclusive, they just had to spend time together. And if she was honest, that was really where she wanted to go in their next step. _'Heck,'_ she thought, _'That's where I wanted us to be today.'_

She looked at them with wide eyes, her thoughts racing as the idea seemed to warm to her. Then she turned toward the grass, hearing her name being called out from the crowd. Ricky was weaving his way through the scads of people to where the three girls were sitting, a few bags at his sides and a smile. Her gaze traced his body before meeting his own, a smile threatening to spread at the mere sight of him. He nodded in her direction, which prompted her to wave at him as she bit her lip and sigh. They were right, she did want to be with him, and if that's what she really wanted then she had to let him know and just let it happen.

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><p>After ending a thirty-minute set with Greensleeves, Amy bid goodbye to her friends and made her way across the grass to where Ricky sat, beneath a large oak tree. He nodded to her as she approached and she waved back, dropping to her knees beside him as he took her French horn. "Hey," he greeted, "great set."<p>

She laughed at him and shook her head, laying back to rest her head against his thigh and sighing deeply, "Shut up."

He chuckled and brushed her bangs back as she looked up him, letting his thumb fall to her cheek then to her lips. "No, come on. It was good. And a lot of people seemed to enjoy it." Amy glanced over her shoulder at the crowds of others gathered on picnic blankets and lawn chairs, watching the quartet perform or throwing Frisbees or baseballs back and forth. A little farther away there were people walking about, making their way to and from the amphitheater where Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was playing. She smiled as she noticed an older couple stand and begin to waltz to the string quartet.

"I suppose."

Ricky laughed once again and leaned back against the tree. "And you enjoyed it too. I mean, you even got to play Peter and the Wolf, doesn't it feel good to come full circle?"

At this Amy tossed him a curious look. "What do you mean by that?"

He met her gaze with a furrowed brow, though the smile hadn't left his lips, and cocked his head to the side, "Peter and the Wolf, that was the second song in your set right?"

She nodded slowly, "Yeah…"

"And that was the reason why you decided to play the French horn in the first place, because your mom used to play it for you?" He chuckled, "I actually was telling your mom this the night after you left."

She looked at him and nodded, though the confusion never left her face. "But…how did you—"

"You told me," He said in a light tone, "don't you remember?"

She mind roladexed through the countless conversations they had had in the past year, not remembering any moment when she had ever mentioned Peter and the Wolf. She didn't even remember mentioning it to Ben, but Ricky knew, so she had to have told him.

Ricky, in watching her gaze fall, could tell that her brain was whirring. He felt his smile grow just a little wider as he let out a silent chuckle. "You mentioned how you had started off with piano, but that it didn't really interest you. Then you stopped talking and asked me if you were talking too much. And I said-"

"No. I could listen to you talk all night." The memory came back to her in full force as the words fell from her mouth and she felt her eyes widen and her mouth drop in disbelief. "I…" she stuttered as she sat up from her place, "I can't believe you remember that."

Again Ricky chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "Contrary to popular belief Amy, I do listen to you."

She shook her head, "But that was ages ago! And, well, especially when it comes to that night, I didn't think…" Her voice trailed off as the implication became clear of what her thoughts were, suddenly feeling guilty for it.

"You think that night I wasn't really listening because all I wanted to do was have sex with you?"

She bowed her head and sighed, afraid that he would become offended and the moment of awe that had completely changed her perspective on him would be lost. But then she felt his hand come to her chin, pulling her gaze up to meet his. He didn't look angry, but he did hold her steady, his hand moved from her chin to her cheek. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. I do listen to you Amy and, more than that, I do remember,_ everything_."

The air shifted to something heavier, but more comforting, settling in the space between them like a lazy heat that seemed to be growing hotter. She bit her lip as a smile began to push its way across her face. And with a laugh, she dropped her gaze once more, then glanced back up as she tilted into his palm. His thumb grazed her cheek once again and he laughed as well, pulling away to motion to the bags he had brought. "So," he said with a sigh, "are you hungry? I've got wings."

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><p><strong>AN: Alright, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! And, btdubbs: can I just say that the RickyAmy/Adrian/Ben thing has been bugging the heck out of me? ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE! -_-x *sigh* but, we know they are ENDGAME so, just got to ride out the wave...like a fever.**

**RAMY FEVER! haha  
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	5. Chapter 5

**AN: So this is coming to you from sunny and beautiful Maui, Hawaii where my writer's block has been extremely in and out of my life. But, thankfully, after a simply superb RAMY REDEEMING episode last night. I was able to finish this chapter this morning at the beach with my spam masubi in hand. ENJOY!**

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><p>They spent the day at the park together resting under the shade of the oak tree, while people came and went from their area in the park. After eating, the two laid out on the blanket Ricky had brought from the apartment and stared up at the sky watching the clouds pass by. They lay out, opposite each other, their heads resting beside each other's chest, shoulders pressed together, and laughing as they played a never ending game of twenty questions.<p>

"So why do you like wings so much?" Ricky asked, his head propped up against the jacket he had brought, allowing him to glance at her. Amy, likewise, pressed her forehead to his side as she met his gaze. She laughed as the question turned over in her head and sighed looking up at the sky.

"Well, when my sister was about three or four my mom started taking her to these 'Mommy and me' classes." She felt his laugh in the pit of his chest against her cheek and rolled her eyes. "I know, I know, trust me, even as a baby Ashley was so, not cooperative. But still my mom took her, every Wednesday and well, she usually left me behind."

Ricky's brow furrowed, "She didn't bring you along?"

Amy shook her head, "It was her "mommy and Ashley" time she used to say, which didn't make sense to me at six because, in my opinion, my mom was _always_ with Ashley. But anyway, my dad kind of noticed how sad it would make me and decided that that would be our time together," she smiled, "Our daddy and Amy time." Amy watched the clouds above her float passed, feeling Ricky's gaze on her face, but forcing herself not to look at him, not wanting to fall into his eyes again. She kept talking.

"He used to take me to this wings place by the high school and we would sit there for two, sometimes three hours just talking and laughing. He used to make the wings dance for me across the table and it soon became one of my favorite days."

She finally let her eyes fall to Ricky's as she smiled, "They stopped when my dad started getting busy at work on Wednesdays, and eventually the wing place closed down. By that time I just let it go, though I didn't have much taste for wings after that, too many memories that I couldn't deal with dwelling on."

Ricky nodded, understanding that feeling of not wanting to relive any happy moments, because it made the present all the more painful to sit through. But he watched as Amy stared back up at the sky and a new smile found its way onto her face, one that he recognized as the one she reserved for John, like she couldn't put into words her love for him and all she could do was smile.

"When I got pregnant that craving came back in full force and wings were all I wanted, all the time." She laughed, "I guess that's why I love them so much now, because they remind me of John, which beats out those days with my dad 100 to 1."

The two shared a laugh as they both turned to the sky, the silence that followed the same kind of lazy silence that felt similar to sinking into a soft comforter. Then it was Amy's turn to look to Ricky, "What about you?" she asked, "What's your favorite food?"

"Spaghetti and meat sauce," he said automatically as he turned to her and smiled.

"Why? He was silent for a while, almost as if he wasn't sure how to answer, but Amy said nothing, just watched as he sighed and kept his gaze trained on the sky this time.

"It was the first meal Margaret and Shakur made for me when I came to stay with them. It was also the meal they had ready and waiting for me when I ran away from home the first time, when I got caught sneaking back in and got grounded for the first time. It was what they had waiting for me every time I would get in trouble in school and question if they were going to send me back into the system." He paused once more, squinting up at the sky, before taking in a large breath and speaking again.

"It was also the meal we were having together when they asked if they could adopt me and the one I asked for when they finally did," he laughed, "It's not fancy, and I've had food that has tasted better, but…nothing can beat the simplicity of spaghetti and meat sauce, or the feeling I get whenever I have it. Like I really do have a family that loves me and cares for me no matter what."

Amy shifted from her place to rest her head on his stomach, offering him that same smile she usually reserved for only John. "Well, you do," she said, taking his hand in hers and threading her fingers through his.

He squeezed her hand back and nodded, "I know," he said, "or at least, I know that now."

There was a weighted silence as they sat watching each other, that same heaviness that seemed to cloud over them from time to time and muddle the casual relationship they were enjoying with something more serious. It was dangerous, frightening, and thrilling all at once, but Amy was the first to turn away. Clearing her throat she letting a thumb brush against his.

"Favorite movie?"

Ricky sighed and took a while to answer, knowing why Amy had changed the subject so quickly and unsure if he was okay with it. He had come all this way to talk, but knew that Amy was still trying to figure out what to say. Their conversations leading up to this point had secured a foundation, but there was still a lot to be done. They had to find a balance with each other and there were things they both had to compromise on before they could dive head first into a relationship. With a sigh, he stopped himself from mentioning that it was actually his turn to ask her a question and cleared his throat. "GoodFellas," he told her, feeling a smile creep up to his face as he sensed her furrowed brow. He knew she wouldn't know what movie he was talking about. "It's a mob movie."

He let his thoughts drift back to when he first saw Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro and smiled. "I saw it when I was eight for the first time, and granted, it's not the type of movie an eight year old should be seeing, but…there were guns and mob hits and women willing to put out." He felt Amy's head shake against his stomach and turned to her. "The main character, Henry, opens the movie saying, 'As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster,' and I could relate to that."

Amy raised an eyebrow at him and smiled, "You always wanted to be a gangster?"

Ricky laughed and shrugged, "At eight I did. I don't know. That whole point of that movie, I think, is that the life of a gangster isn't a glamorous one. I mean, he goes through a drug addiction and an unfaithful marriage only to end up broke and broken." He paused and Amy felt his grip on her hand tighten just a little. "Which is why I would never actually _want_ to be a gangster now. But…the beginning of the movie was always my favorite part. Where the guys in his neighborhood looked out for him and became his family. He didn't have a good relationship with his dad in the movie, so he bonded with other more powerful men who were able to pull him out of the dead end he was already heading toward. Not that where he ended up was that much better…"

He fell silent again as he studied his and Amy's intertwined hands, she kept silent as she watched him, having a guess of what was going through his mind, but keeping it to herself. She knew Ricky didn't like to have assumptions made about him.

"They must have had really cool accents." She offered and Ricky laughed, bringing his eyes to meet hers once more.

"Yeah," he chuckled, "yeah they did. That was another reason why I liked mob movies so much. Italian accents were always cool."

The two laughed together as Ricky brought Amy's hand to rest on his chest and she pushed herself upward to look down at him. "Is that why you kinda talk in an accent?" She asked, her question being met with his furrowed brow.

"You do!" she laughed, as he sat up on his elbows.

"What? I do not."

She rolled her eyes, but continued nodding as he shook his head at her. "Sometimes," she began, "You talk like Mr. Boykewich, saying 'You's' or even how you say stuff sometimes, it's like you're and italian from "Joisey" or something."

Ricky wanted to laugh at Amy's attempt to say "Jersey" in a "Jersey accent", but didn't comment on it. "So? That does not mean that I talk—"

"But you do." She laughed, "And it's cute. So just enjoy it okay?"

Ricky rolled his eyes and settled back into his position on the blanket, his arms crossed. "Yeah, cause that's what every Italian gangster wants to be called, 'cute'." She laughed again and shifted once more, lining up her body beside his as he uncrossed his arms and pulled her into his arms. She rested her hand on his chest once more as he took it and gripped it in his.

"Alright then accent police. What's your favorite movie?"

Amy rested her forehead in the crook of his neck and breathed him in, the sigh relaxing her into his arms. "Where the Heart is," her own smile creeping up as she sensed his brow furrow. She knew that he wouldn't know what movie that was. "It's a movie with Natalie Portman, where she's pregnant and gives birth in a Walmart."

Her hand shook from the rumbling of surprised laughter in Ricky's chest and she felt his breath in her hair, "What? What kind of movies are you watching?"

Amy laughed and looked up at him, pretending to fix him with a glare as she said, "Don't make fun of my movies, I didn't make fun of yours."

He laughed, "But you made fun of my accent."

"Aha!" Amy cried, "So you admit you have an accent!"

At this Ricky rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Just tell me why you like the Walmart baby movie."

Amy laughed again as she let him pull her closer, her eyes fixing instead on the sky as it started to change to sunset colors. "Natalie Portman's character, Novalee, is supposed to be going to California with her boyfriend, and the father of her baby, Willy Jack," she felt him chuckle at the names, but not say anything, so she ignored him and continued. "While they're driving Novalee puts Willy Jack's hand on her stomach and asks if he can feel the baby's heartbeat, but he says no. Then they drive up to a Walmart so she can go to the bathroom and…well…he leaves her there."

"What?" Ricky interjected, "He just leaves her?"

Amy nodded, "Yup, just drives away, leaving her with no money, pregnant, and at a Walmart."

"So what does she do?"

Amy smiled at how interested he had become in her story, but didn't want to bring attention to it in case he would find it as another quip at his manhood. Besides, she liked the movie, and the book, for a reason. "She hides in the Walmart, takes stock of everything she uses, because she intends to pay Walmart back, until one night she actually gives birth."

"In the Walmart?" Ricky asked, and Amy could only nod. "Yup, in the Walmart. And this guy that works at the library in town named Forney, tall, smart, really awkward and not that cute, who she had gotten to know, saw her going into the Walmart at closing time and breaks through the glass window to save her and the baby. That's how she ends up meeting her best friend, Ashley Judd's character, Lexie, and she has a baby girl named Americus."

Ricky couldn't help but snort at that one. "What is with all these weird names? I swear, if John had been a girl and you had named him Americus…"

"What would you have done?" Amy challenged, staring at him questioningly. He looked at her expression, prepared to fix her with his own and retort back, but could see the twinkle in her eye and sighed.

"Been supportive of whatever decision you made, because _you_ went through the birthing pain, not me." He rattled off the sentence like a robot would and Amy couldn't help but laugh, hugging her body to him.

"That's right."

The two laughed together once more, letting the ease of the conversation erase the tension from earlier. "So," Ricky sighed, "How does the story end for her?"

Amy smiled and let her thumb against the fan of his fingers over hers. "Well, she becomes a photographer, raises her daughter and falls in love, with Forney."

"I thought you said he wasn't that cute?" Ricky asked.

Amy nodded and shrugged, "He's not, at least, not in the movie, but he was there to rescue her when she needed him. He was this nice guy who was willing to love her, even though she had someone else's baby, and so she fell in love. Not that she made it easy for herself. In the movie she kind of, convinced herself that she wasn't good enough for him, but…it all worked out in the end."

Ricky felt his stomach clench as she said this, her words _'He was this nice guy who was willing to love her, even though she had someone else's baby,'_ ringing in his head along with their phone conversation just the day before about Ben coming to her rescue.

"And Willy Jack?" He asked, "Did she ever see him again."

Amy hesitated for a moment, but nodded, "Uh, yeah, she uh…" she sighed. "Novalee read in the paper that he was in the hospital and went to go see him. He had become a country singer for a while, then became an alcoholic, lost everything, got drunk one night and stumbled onto some train tracks where his legs got cut off."

She felt Ricky wince and pressed her cheek against his chest and gripped his hand in hers. "She went to go see him in the hospital and he talks about that first day when he left her. He talks about when she put his hand on her stomach and asked if he could feel the baby's heartbeat. And he tells her he lied. That he could feel it, but he didn't tell her the truth."

"Why not?" Ricky asked, "Does he say?"

Amy shook her head, "He says that there are a bunch of different reasons why people lie, their scared or crazy, but…then he tells her, and I know this by heart, so don't poke fun at me," Ricky held up a hand in mock surrender as she took in a deep breath. 'Sometimes you tell a lie so big, it'll change your whole life. A lie so big, it makes you think, 'I'd do anything if I could have just one chance to set it straight."

The weight of tension settled over the two of them once again, as the words from Amy's favorite movie wrapped around each of their hearts with a vice grip. Amy's thoughts fell back to those moments when she had let Ricky believe that she hated him, even going so far as to tell him that. It had never been true, but she had never corrected or apologized for it. Maybe if she had been more honest with her feelings before, even as far as band camp, things would have been different.

Ricky's thoughts were circling the same time, but he bit his lip at the lie he had been harboring, the one that he had been keeping to himself for the better part of two years. He and Amy had never really talked about what happened after their night together. He distinctly remembered being surprised that they had gone as far as they did and then just separating, never reaching out to one another again. They kept their distance and had not spoken again until that first day of school. He had been lying, not only to Amy, but to himself about what happened between them, the connection they had made. And he knew that was the reason why their lives had took the turns that they had. That was part of the reason why he was here, with her, to right what had gone wrong. Wasn't it? Being apart from Amy had been his 'I need just one chance' moment.

"So he's saying that they could have had a chance." Ricky stated, his thumb grazing her shoulder as he looked up at the sky. He felt Amy nod her head.

"If they had just gotten it right the first time, stuck around, she might have never fallen for the awkwardly tall, boy in town."

"We don't know that." Ricky said.

"No," Amy agreed, "We don't and we'll never find out, but that's why he says what he says, because it could have happened if he never left."

He sighed deeply as he turned to look at Amy, his gaze acting as a magnet to hers, "I'm sticking around. I'm not leaving."

She didn't turn away this time. Instead she held his gaze, feeling her heart pound in her chest as she nodded and offered him a shy smile. "I know," she whispered, "So we'll have a chance to see what happens."

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><p><strong>AN: P.S. This is the second to last chapter so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PUH-LEASE REVIEW! sank-q!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Ah. Final chapter. 2:19am and I'm debating on whether or not it's worth it to go to sleep. I have work in two hours. =P Well, enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW!**

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><p>They left the park just as the sun was beginning to fall behind the trees and decided to walk to Amy's apartment. It wasn't far from Central Park and the evening was blessed with a warm breeze, perfect for leisure strolling. They walked hand in hand through the emptying streets, an orange glow cast across the pavement and continued talking, throwing questions back and forth while exchanging stories.<p>

"So what about these friends of yours?" Ricky asked, gently swinging their arms between them. "What's their story?"

Amy tilted her head toward him and sighed, tucking her arm under his to bring them closer. "Well, Megan is from Chicago, she was born and raised there, but when she got pregnant her parents kicked her out. They basically just pretended that she didn't exist, cut her off and everything. Haven't spoken to her since."

Ricky whistled low and shook his head, "That's rough. So what did she do?"

"Well," Amy said, "she ended up moving to Michigan to live with the father of her baby's family. They took her in and took care of her and the baby."

"So she and the father of her baby stayed together?"

At this Amy shook her head, "Not at first. They weren't even in a relationship when they had sex, they were just friends. He had family in Chicago and would visit every summer and they both agreed to have sex because they were friends and wanted their first time to be with someone they knew and trusted."

Ricky let out a sigh and shook his head, "And yet they still got pregnant?"

Amy nodded, "The condom broke."

"Ah," Ricky responded, slowing their pace just a little to prolong their walk. Amy rested her head on his shoulder.

"It took a while for the two of them to even broach the idea of a relationship. They were friends, but had never really thought about each other in a long-term sense. Megan said that the reason she and Peter even had sex in the first place was because she wanted to get it out of the way. She was planning on med school and not getting married until years from now and she wanted to get her first time done with so that she would never be curious about it. But…"

"It blew up in her face?" Ricky offered, which made Amy laugh and nod.

"That's exactly what she said." Amy pulled him in through the door of the apartment building and sat down on the steps, their knees knocking together as she leaned against the banister. "He offered to marry her right off the bat, but she knew he didn't love her and that she didn't love him, so she said no."

Ricky nodded. "Yeah well, most women don't want to be _offered_ marriage like it's a business deal. And all women deserve better than that." Amy smiled as he glanced at her through hooded eyes, his words causing her to bite her lip to refrain from praising him on them. She saw his eyes fall to her lips as she did this and smile. She could almost hear what he was thinking, but again, stayed silent.

"But they are together now?" he said, meeting her gaze once more, just in time to see her brush her hair out of her face.

Amy nodded, "They got married six months ago. Some time, over the course of their parenting they fell in love and decided to really give it a chance. They like to say that Angie, their daughter, is the reason they met, not the reason they fell in love." The two shared in a laugh as Ricky pulled Amy's legs up to rest on his knees, both of their hands instinctively going to the hem. With a smirk he grasped his hand over hers and slowly pulled her hem down so as to cover her thighs, him, taking the time to relish in the feel of her soft skin against his. He could hear her breath hitch just slightly as he held her hem in place, but said nothing.

"So what about your friend Meena? Same kind of thing?"

Amy didn't answer right away, which solicited his attention from the view of her legs. He noticed her solemn expression and furrowed his brow. "What?"

Amy looked up, startled, but shook her head, sighing deeply as she ran her hands through her hair once again. "No, sorry, it's just, Meena's got a bit of a rougher past. I guess you could say she's the one with the more…realistic story?"

Ricky nodded, but didn't speak, letting Amy prepare herself for a moment before returning his gaze.

"Meena actually grew up in New Jersey, but she went to school here in New York. She's a flute player and a really good one, her dream was always to be in the Philharmonic and I think it still is. Her family gave up everything for her to go to a good performing arts school here in the city and she came to stay with her funky artsy painter of an aunt who actually lives not too far from here."

Ricky nodded. "Sounds kind of picturesque."

Amy let out a dry laugh and nodded her head. "In being here, I find that's usually how it starts." She leaned her head back against the wooden banister and sighed, shifting her weight so as to get comfortable and trying to ignore the fact that it felt like her dress was slipping, but Ricky was consistently holding it in place. His thoughtfulness was driving her crazy, in a really good way, but she needed to keep her emotions in check if she was going to finish this weekend with her promise from yesterday intact. Clearing her throat she continued, "Anyway, Meena fell in love with a boy at school; a boy named Christopher from a very rich, well-to-do family in California who had sent him here to become a concert pianist and they dated for maybe two years. They were really strong as a couple and had talked a lot about the future and playing together in the Philharmonic. They wanted to get married someday."

Amy sighed once more and pulled her legs off Ricky's, reaching for her skirt and brushing it over her lap as he instinctively moved closer to her. "But when she got pregnant everything changed. Suddenly all of their future plans were too much for him and he broke up with her, left and went back to California."

Ricky wrapped an arm around Amy's waist and pulled her close, his thoughts dwelling on the tale she was weaving and feeling the emotion in her words. Amy knew what Meena had felt like, Amy could understand what it was like to be left high and dry by a boy that had led her to believe he felt more for her than he really intended to. Amy knew and Ricky hated himself for that. He wanted to say something, to apologize for it now, but didn't know what to say, so he asked instead, "Didn't he want to ever see his baby and Meena?"

Amy leaned into him and sighed, her eyes closed as shook her head. "Not really. She did seem him again, a year later; ran into him at a super market of all places with her baby boy Willis in her shopping cart. She told me that when she saw him that old feelings did start to come back and he seemed to completely fall in love with Willis and her again. They spent his spring break making all their plans over and he promised to go home and send for her once his parents were on board with letting her move in. He was so sure that they would be together. But…" Amy trailed off and turned deeper into him, his grip on her tightening as he held on for the end of the story.

"But he never came back. He went back home and apparently realized everything he would be giving up and backed out. He sent her a long letter in the mail full of some crap about not wanting to disrupt their lives and so she took a plane there, ended up on his doorstep and fought with him. She called him out on his crap and he admitted to her that he didn't want to be married and with a baby so early in life. He just wanted to be a normal kid. He told her that here in New York it was so easy to think that they would be together, but the truth was it was all a lie. Like going on vacation and thinking that you could just stay there forever. It was never true and it was never something you should really do so they had wake up." Amy sighed. "Meena was heartbroken again and I don't think she's ever really gotten over it. That's why she's my biggest advocate in being careful with you."

Ricky nodded, "I could understand that. Really. I could."

Amy turned to look him in the eye and bit her lip, bringing her hand up to his face and traced her thumb against his cheek. "But…?" she had heard the objection in his voice and could see it in his eyes.

"But," Ricky said, his hand reaching up to cover hers, "I'm Ricky. I'm not Christopher or Peter or Ben. I'm Ricky. And whatever happens between us is going to be entirely based on us. I don't know what's that is yet, but all the other stuff going on in everyone else's lives is their stuff and it shouldn't affect us from figuring out what _we_ are. Who we are to each other and what we could be. Okay? Just us and no one else."

He leaned into her hand and kissed her palm, pulling it down with his and gripping it tight. Her eyes traced his movements and she felt an emotion swelling deep within her, one that she had been trying to keep at bay since Ricky had showed up at her door. But she found her resolve quickly crumbling.

"Okay." They held each other's gaze for a moment longer before she found her hand pulling at his collar and crashing her lips to his. His hands found their way around her waist and she sighed, finally giving into the emotion pounding in her heart and believing that she felt it in his.

* * *

><p>They had both agreed to keep their weekend together private and not share it with anyone, including Madison and Lauren on Amy's part. It wasn't anyone's business what they had done or discussed and Amy was glad for it. She felt as though, telling anyone could possibly taint it and that was something she was sure she didn't want.<p>

Ricky never made it to his hotel at all that weekend, instead finding a comfortable place to sleep in her bed for his last night, though they kept each other accountable to the "no sex" rule. Ricky had finally understood how important it was for their in-limbo relationship to wait, but they couldn't deny how nice it had been to fall asleep beside each other and wake up in the same way.

His flight home was early, so they were up before the sunrise. But Amy smiled as she made him coffee to-go in a Knapakoff School travel cup and had noticed that he had stocked her fridge for her. Apparently, that's what he had gone to do when he left her at the park; he went to the supermarket and bought her groceries, getting rid of all of her left-overs. That had solicited a rather spirited make out session against her sink, but they had kept their cool. He had joked that that should be how she reacts to his buying groceries all the time and teased her by asking every few minutes, "How much will a gallon of milk get me?" or "How about a bushel of grapes, do I get a kiss for every grape?"

Amy had rolled her eyes at him, but had never said anything to deny the possibility of trading chores for kisses.

She didn't go with him to the airport because she had morning class, but even if she hadn't, she wouldn't have gone with him. Ricky didn't want her traveling back by herself when it was still dark out and also, having to say goodbye at the airport would have made it all too real. They didn't want to end the weekend on bad note.

So, instead they had a nice early breakfast together, she made him a care package to go along with his coffee and he left her with one last kiss. They both shut their eyes tight, imagining that they were ten years older and in love, and that she was just sending him off to work rather than sending him back to the real world. An illusion that stayed with them until he was gone out the door and climbing into the taxi. But there were no regrets and there was a lot of promise for what the rest of the summer would bring.

He texted her when he got home and she texted back that she was glad he was safe, but then Adrian called and all that promise began to dim. Especially, when Adrian's phone call turned out to be her only birthday greeting from him. She wasn't sure if she had mentioned her birthday to him, but had assumed it would have come up in her house. He was staying in her house after all. But when it became apparent that everyone forgot she realized how little it really mattered.

Megan and Meena had pointed out that if it bothered her she should say something about it, to let everyone know when she had feelings that were not so nice toward people. But that night, leading into the next day all she could think about were the feelings that were more important. The ones that she actually did have and had been wrestling with since Ricky had brought up coming to New York to see her. Her feelings toward a missed birthday could not and would not ever compare to a how she would feel about a missed opportunity. And suddenly, every day more she stayed in New York was potentially a relationship killer.

So, in staring at her fridge, well-stocked by the thoughtful boy who she had revealed himself to her, or, to be more accurate, she had finally seen, she decided it was time to do something about these feelings.

Turning away from the fridge she headed for her bed, pulling out the suitcase from underneath and starting to pack everything back in. She pulled out her phone and texted Megan, Meena, and Bristol to meet up in her room and sighed, pocketing her phone with a smile as she surveyed what else needed to be packed away. She wasn't going to waste anymore time and regardless of what had happened in the last two days, she was finally deciding on what she wanted. And she wanted was to know if she and Ricky and John could be a family.

Her eyes flitted over to the picture of her and John taped to the outside of her French horn case and she smiled. "I love you John," she whispered. "I really do love you."

And though in her head flashed the images of everything else she was rushing home to: Ben, Adrian, Ashley, her parents, the only thing that really mattered was Ricky and John.

"Me, Ricky and John," she said out loud. "Just us and no one else."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So...what did you think? I tried to stay as close to the universe and possible. I wanted it to fit in seamlessly into the series, but eh. I am not Elaine Arata, Jeffrey Rodgers, Paul Perlove OR Brenda Hampton, so I have no idea if they even had this weekend in mind. Also, it's always hard to write for a tv show because you never know where the writers are gonna go. But anyway, please review and please keep an eye out for my next story entitled, "Start to Something Big" which is an Alternate Universe piece that I've been wanting to write for a while. ALSO! If you're on tumblr, give me a follow and check out my fanvids, I'm on a RAMY creativity spree right now so visit me at .com and on youtube, my username is "aareeks" please ignore the VBS choreography videos because those are for my church. Haha, but anyway, PLEASE REVIEW! Much appreciated. And feel free to suggest pieces for me to do. I LOVE SUGGESTIONS<strong>


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